Just days past his 19th birthday, Chicago Blackhawks rookie Patrick Kane admits it's been a surreal experience starring in the NHL so soon.

Since being selected first overall at the draft in June, he's gotten used to performing in front of crowds -- which are also slowly returning to the rink in Chicago.

"It's been crazy the last couple months," said the 5-ft.-10 right-winger, who plays alongside fellow freshman phenom Jonathan Toews on the team's top line. "You think you're just graduating high school, and the next thing you know, you're getting drafted, singing in front of 40,000 at Wrigley and throwing out the first pitch."

The vocal performance was a duet with Blackhawks coach Denis Savard shortly after the draft as the tandem kicked off a round of Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the Cubs game that kicked off following Kane's opening pitch.

At that point, last year's OHL rookie of the year didn't even have an agent to represent him.

"No, it was probably a couple of months down the road. I was thinking about signing with the Blackhawks. Obviously, they wanted to sign me. Myself and my parents didn't really know what the contract stuff was," said Kane, who eventually settled on Los Angeles agent Pat Brisson.

"We figured we'd just get an agent there to kind of help us out."

As a first-overall draft pick, there was no shortage of suitors. Those couple of months weren't too quiet in the Kane household in Buffalo.

"I tried not to answer all the calls," he said with a grin. "It's funny how many calls I did get."

The attention hasn't slowed as the rookie scoring leader has racked up seven goals and 22 points in his first 20 games.